Safa deserve plaudits for Ellis appointment

Ihad second thoughts about tackling this issue because a part of me feels I might jinx it. But another part of me feels that if I don’t, I would be giving into those who feel I am more of a critic who is always looking to find fault.

I never thought the day would come – let alone so soon – that I would be congratulating Safa for some good work. But today I am. If I was wearing a hat I would doff it to them for finally appointing Desiree Ellis as Banyana Banyana coach on a permanent basis.

Before going any further let me get this off my chest because I had spoken about it to some friends. I had in my mind a column where I would be throwing a tantrum af- ter Safa had appointed someone else. This was because I felt their delay was because they were still sifting through CVs for a higherprofile coach.

They have made me eat humble pie but it doesn’t taste bitter, and I will happily devour it. Ellis has been with Banyana for a long time. I think she has even forgotten the time she was not with the team. I am tempted to say she is Banyana. She understands the team very well, having grown with the side.

What I like most though is that she has remained humble and has not got it into her head that she is a high-profile person in the squad just because she has been there for so long. And she has never indicated that she feels the squad

Sibongiseni Gumbi

owes her just because she has been a loyal servant for so long. There is a lesson there for some of us.

I am however not congratulating Safa based on her appointment alone. It is because the whole women’s football structure has been set up for success. There is synergy there. It starts at Under-17 level, or Bantwana as the squad is known, where Simphiwe Dludlu is coach. Dludlu is, like Ellis, also a former Banyana player. She recently guided the side to the Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup which will be hosted by Uruguay in December.

Then we move to the Under-23s, or Basetsana as they are known, where Maud Khumalo is coach. She is also a former Banyana player. Her team were unfortunately eliminated in the final stages of the Fifa Under-23 Women’s World Cup by Nigeria.

I don’t know about you but for me this is a recipe for success. There is an understanding between the three coaches and with Fran Hilton-Smith there to support them, success may not be guaranteed but it is certainly a possibility.

Some felt the mandate given to Ellis when she was appointed this week may be too harsh but I feel it is achievable. She is almost half- way there anyway. Qualifying for the World Cup, the Afcon, the Olympics and ensuring they are in the top two in Africa should be simple enough for her.

She has already made the team the best in Africa by winning the Caf award for Best Female Team and has won the Cosafa Cup. Now I just wonder why there is never a clear mandate for a Bafana Bafana coach. Well, that’s me going back to finding negatives again. Let me end this before I have you all feeling negative as well.

Happy weekend to you all.